FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA RELEASE: 2017 Comrades Marathon Entries Rising

Nearly 3000 entries for the 2017 Comrades Marathon have been received over the past 24 hours. The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has announced that the figure includes more than 280 international entrants from 30 countries.

The breakdown is as follows:

South African Entries: 2642

Rest of Africa Entries: 33

International Entries: 282

The 92nd edition of the world famous Comrades Marathon will be run on Sunday, 4 June 2017. This will the 47th up-run in Comrades history.

The three-month long entry process opened yesterday (1 September 2016) and closes on 30 November 2016 or as soon as the entry cap of 20,000 has been reached. Prospective entrants are encouraged to get their entries in early to avoid disappointment.

Entry fees for the 2017 Comrades Marathon are as follows:

·  Early Bird : R 420.00 (month of September for SA athletes only)

·  Local Entries :R 460.00

·  Rest of Africa :R 770.00

·  International : R2650.00

South African runners will be eligible for the ‘early bird’ entry fee of R420 if their entries are received before 30 September 2016. The regular South African entry fee of R460 will kick in on 1 October 2016 until the entry process is closed.

Entry is free to all runners who have completed the Comrades Marathon 25 times or more.

Runners can enter as follows:

·  online via the Comrades Marathon website: www.comrades.com;

·  by posting their completed entry form with proof of payment to the CMA Office in Pietermaritzburg:

P.O. Box 100621, Scottsville, 3209;

·  by handing in their completed entry form together with the original bank deposit slip at Comrades House, 18 Connaught Road, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg.

Qualifying for the 2017 Comrades Marathon will be applicable from 27 August 2016 till 2 May 2017. Runners are advised that the 2016 Comrades Marathon will not be an automatic qualifier for next year’s race.

The race starts at the Durban City Hall at 05h30 and ends 12 hours later at the Scottsville Race Course in Pietermaritzburg, covering a distance of around 88km.

***ENDS***

Statement issued by the Comrades Marathon Association’s Media officer, Delaine Cools on Friday, 2 September 2016

For more information, please contact Delaine Cools on 083 949 2837 or visit www.comrades.com

For an interview, please contact:

·  CMA Race Director, Rowyn James on 079 501 0061

·  CMA General Manager, Chris Fisher on 071 883 6919